Sazerac Company How the Sazerac Cocktail Came to Be In 1838, Antoine Amedie Peychaud, owner of a New Orleans apothecary, treated his friends to brandy toddies of his own recipe, including his "Peychaud's Bitters," made from a secret family recipe. The toddies were made using a double-ended egg cup as a measuring cup or jigger, then known as a "coquetier" (pronounced "ko-k-tay"), from which the word "cocktail" was derived. Thus, the world's first cocktail was born! By 1850, the Sazerac Cocktail, made with Sazerac French brandy and Peychaud's Bitters, was immensely popular, and became the first "branded" cocktail. In 1873, the recipe for the Sazerac Cocktail was altered to replace the French brandy with American Rye whiskey, and a dash of absinthe was added. In 1933, the Sazerac Cocktail was bottled and marketed by the Sazerac Company of New Orleans.

That same year, "Herbsaint," a pastis, was made according to a French recipe; "Herbsaint" was so named for the New Orleans term for wormwood - "Herb Sainte." In 1940, the Official Sazerac Cocktail recipe was modified to use Herbsaint as the absinthe. Finally, in 2000, the Official Sazerac Cocktail recipe was modified to use Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey. The Official Sazerac Cocktail Sazerac Cocktail Recipe Embarcadero About The Sazerac Cocktail Forget the Hurricane. The Sazerac is what you should drink in New Orleans. One of America’s earliest cocktails, the Sazerac is a homegrown New Orleans specialty. Peychaud’s Bitters are a key element and were created by Antoine Peychaud, a French Quarter pharmacist, who invented the cocktail in the 1830s. The Sazerac was originally made with cognac, but an insect epidemic destroyed many French vineyards and resulted in the lasting switch to rye whiskey.

General Instructions for The Sazerac Cocktail Ingredients in The Sazerac Cocktail Sazerac Cocktail An opportunity to develop the brand management team for Atom Supplies Ltd..... Sazerac Cocktail Email Words by: Simon Difford Traditionally based on cognac or rye whiskey, as David A. Embury says of the Sazerac in his seminal 1948 Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, “essentially it is merely an Old Fashioned made with Peychaud bitters instead of Angostura and flavoured with a dash of absinthe.” Created in New Orleans it is the city’s official cocktail and is one of America’s oldest cocktails. Cognac, rye or bourbon The Sazerac was originally made with cognac but due to the phylloxera plague hitting cognac supplies in the 1870s (see history below) rye whiskey was substituted. As bourbon started to dominate American whiskey so many bartenders started making Sazeracs with bourbon rather than rye.

However, there are many who fervently object to the use of bourbon, including Legendary New Orleans bartender, Stanley Clisby Arthur, who in his 1937 Famous New Orleans Drinks & how to mix'em wrote "for while Bourbon may do for a julep it just won't do for a real Sazerac." I like Sazeracs made with rye whisky. I also like them made with bourbon and/or cognac. All three spirits make a good Sazerac, each very different. The rye is obviously more robust and spicier while the bourbon is softer and cognac softer still. After trying all three I profess to preferring rye or a combination of all three - equal parts of each - a tad schizo perhaps, but each spirit contributes some of their personality resulting in a very complex Sazerac. Bitters A Sazerac is simply not a Sazerac without Peychaud Bitters but many recipes, including Stanley Clisby Arthur's also call for a dash of Angostura Aromatic Bitters.

I have been guilty of using three dashes of Angostura in the past, but I was also guilty of making my Sazeracs with a blend of bourbon and cognac, and a Sazerac made with these softer spirits can benefit from heavy bittering. However, one dash will suffice, especially when using rye as your base spirit. Don't be tempted to forgo the Angostura altogether as it adds a special something to the drink. Sugar cube or sugar syrup Regular Difford's Guide readers will know my bias towards sugar syrup over granulated sugar, let alone a sugar cube and for support I turn to Embury who writes, "Traditionally, the Sazerac, like the Old-Fashioned, is made by first saturating a lump of sugar with bitters and then muddling it. In the interest of simplicity and better drinks, however, we have abandoned loaf sugar in favour of sugar syrup." The action of dampening a sugar cube with a splash of water and bitters then muddling creates a syrup, albeit one with crystals of undissolved sugar for the drinker to crunch upon. Surely Embury is right and using a quality, homemade sugar syrup makes more sense and a better Sazerac.

The balance of sugar and bitters makes or breaks a Sazerac. The sugar should just take the edge of the spirit and the bitters but not produce a sweet drink. Dilution Again to quote Embury, "The Sazerac is a sharp, pungent, thoroughly dry cocktail. To most people, however, the combination of absinthe and whisky [sic] is not particularly pleasing. While whisky lovers do not like the sharp, biting taste that the absinthe imparts, absinthe lovers prefer their absinthe straight, dripped, frappéed, or mixed with gin rather than whisky. Even among my various New Orleans friends I have yet to find a Sazerac addict." Made using the classical proportions and methods the Sazerac can indeed be a "thoroughly dry cocktail", perhaps a tad too dry and punchy. Achieving the correct fine balance of sugar and bitters is crucial but so is the dilution. Over stir or use wet ice and the drink will be too dilute. Use double frozen ice straight from the freezer and even with a prolonged stir you are unlikely to achieve spot on dilution.

Therefore, to be certain of controlled consistent dilution, I prescribe stirring with double frozen ice and half a shot of chilled water. Garnish The oils from a twist of lemon make this drink, a fine spray is enough. Too much and lemon starts to overpower the flavour. I don't drop the zest into the drink as there is something off-putting about the lemon touching your lips as you sip the drink. As Stanley Clisby Arthur says, "do not commit the sacrilege of dropping the peel into the drink." He goes on to say, "some bartenders put a cherry in a Sazerac; very pretty but not necessary." Mixing method Although considered a sacrilege by many and classically a misdemeanour, I believe this drink great served shaken rather than stirred. However, bowing to peer pressure I have formerly stirred my Sazeracs. I now sit between both camps and instead throw rather than stir my Sazeracs. Throwing aerates and opens but does not leave the unattractive foamy top that shaking does.

Sazerac recipes and variations Highland Sazerac History Brandy-based cocktails were being served in New Orleans before the Sazerac was created and these early mixed drinks almost certainly included bitters, possibly Stoughton's Bitters, a long extinct medicinal stomach bitters. The ingredients for the Sazerac have varied over the years, however, its flavour has remained distinctive due to one essential ingredient: Peychaud's aromatic bitters, created by one Antoine Amedee Peychaud. His story starts in 1795 when he arrives in New Orleans as a refugee after his father was forced to flee the island of San Domingo, and his family's coffee plantation, after the slaves rebelled. Antoine grew up to become a pharmacist and bought his own drug and apothecary store at 437 Rue Royale (then No. 123 Royal Street) in 1834. Here he created an 'American Aromatic Bitter Cordial' and marketed it as a medicinal tonic. Such potions were fashionable at the time and there were many similar products.

Antoine also served his bitters mixed with brandy and other liquors and it has been falsely claimed that the word 'cocktail' originated with Antoine and the measure, known as a 'coquetier', he used to prepare drinks. However, the term cocktail first appeared in print in an upstate New York newspaper in 1806 when Antoine was but a child. Meanwhile, sometime around 1850, Sewell T. Taylor, another New Orleans entrepreneur gave up being a bar owner to move into the liquor business, becoming the local agent for a French cognac company, 'Sazerac-du-Forge et Fils' of Limoges. His bar, the Merchant's Exchange Coffee House at 13 Exchange Alley, was taken over by either a Aaron Bird or John B. Schiller. Exchange Alley used to run between Royal Street and Exchange Place in the French Quarter where the Wyndham Hotel now stands. A service road under the hotel still links the two streets.

It is here, at the Exchange Coffee House, sometime between 1850 and 1859, that the Sazerac Cocktail was created, based on and named after Taylor's Sazerac cognac with Peychaud's aromatic bitters and sugar. The cocktail became the bar's main specialty. In 1869/70, Thomas H. Handy, the bar's bookkeeper, took over the Sazerac Coffeehouse and renamed it the Sazerac Coffeehouse after its house cocktail. Meanwhile Antoine Peychaud fell upon hard times and sold his pharmacy store, along with the formula and brand name of his bitters which Handy acquired in 1873. Having purchased the bar and the bitters required to make its house cocktail Handy then faced a predicament as cognac, the main ingredient to the Sazerac Cocktail, became hard to obtain. The phylloxera aphid, a bug which attacks the roots of vines, devastated French vineyards in the late 1860s-1870s and so practically halted cognac production, forcing Handy to change the recipe of the Sazerac Cocktail.

He still used the all-important Peychaud's bitters but substituted American distilled Maryland Club rye whiskey, retaining a dash of cognac. Around this time, perhaps before the change to rye whiskey, a splash of the newly fashionable absinthe was added to the Sazerac. As the cognac became more scarce, so it gradually disappeared from the drink. To quote from Stanley Clisby Arthur's 1937 Famous New Orleans Drinks & how to mix'em, "The absinthe innovation has been credited to Leon Lamothe who in 1858 was a bartender for Emile Seignouret, Charles Cavaroc & Co., a wine importing firm located in the old Seignouret mansion still standing at 520 Royal Street. More likely it was about 1870, when Lamothe was employed at Pina's restaurant in Burgundy Street that he experimented with absinthe and made the Sazerac what it is today." Before his death in 1889, Handy disclosed the recipe for his house cocktail to William T. 'Cocktail Bill' Boothby who published it in his 1908 book, The World's Drinks and How to Mix Them.

Sazerac (Boothby's recipe) ½ spoon Sugar syrup 1 slice Lemon peel Chill cocktail glass, wet with few drops absinthe and toss out. Stir other ingredients well with ice, strain into prepared glass and serve with ice water chaser. In the 1890s, the Sazerac Company began to bottle and market the Sazerac Cocktail, now made with rye whiskey instead of cognac. The cocktail, which continued to be served at the Sazerac Bar was further adapted in 1912 when absinthe was banned in the US. The Sazerac company started to produce a product called Herbsaint as an absinthe substitute and although absinthe is once again legal in the USA, most bars in New Orleans continue to make their Sazerac Cocktails with Herbsaint rather than absinthe. The Sazerac Bar reopened after Prohibition at 300 Carondelet Street. In 1949, Seymour Weiss, the Vice President and Managing Director of the nearby Roosevelt Hotel purchased the rights to use the name Sazerac Bar from the Sazerac Company.

He renovated a former Wine and Spirits store on Baronne Street and on 26th September 1949 opened the new Sazerac Bar. Weiss published that the new bar would abolish its 'men only' rule and welcome women. The move was marketing genius and women flocked to the launch, leading to the event becoming known as 'Storming the Sazerac'. In 1959, the Sazerac Bar on Baronne Street was closed and the name transferred to the hotel's Main Bar which had opened in 1938. Here the Sazerac Bar remains popular and can be considered the spiritual and actual home of the Sazerac with around 40,000 Sazeracs served there every year. (To allay confusion, the hotel originally opened in 1893 as The Hotel Grunewald, then became The Fairmont, then The Roosevelt before reopening after Hurricane Katrina as The Fairmont.) In 2007, Ann Tuennerman, of The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society, lobbied the Louisiana legislature to "Save the Sazerac". The following March, state senator Edwin R.

Murray filed a Senate Bill designating the Sazerac as Louisiana's official state cocktail. The bill was defeated on 8 April 2008 but after further debate and lobbying, on 23 June 2008, the Louisiana Legislature passed a bill proclaiming the Sazerac as New Orleans official cocktail. Sazerac: The Spirit of New Orleans Sazerac: The Spirit of New Orleans Bob Meyn Being from New Orleans, I have always been something of a student of food and drink. But one cocktail in particular is near to my heart, the Sazerac, a drink whose provenance includes alleged healing powers, a plague on European vineyards, and political chicanery. First, let’s discuss the term “cocktail” because it is typically misused, and I make it a habit to know exactly what I am ingesting. A cocktail is by definition an alcoholic beverage that contains three ingredients: one being a spirit, one being sweet and one being sour/bitter. Common cocktails that are still imbibed today include Whisky Sour, Old Fashioned, Tom Collins, and, of course, Sazeracs.

The drink that eventually came to be known as a Sazerac was actually born in a pharmacy. Antoine Peychaud, a Creole apothecary of Haitian descent, set up shop in the French Quarter in the early 19th Century. In addition to dispensing his traditional “medicines,” Peychaud formulated a gentian-based bitters recipe in his New Orleans pharmacy around the year 1830 and began selling it after-hours for “medicinal purposes.” Peychaud claimed his bitters could provide relief from just about any imaginable malady. Most likely, this was because he dispensed his bitters mixed with brandy and absinthe, an anisette liqueur. Thus the precursor to the Sazerac was born. Around 1850, in an establishment called The Merchants Coffee Exchange (which was actually a bar but called a coffee house to put the growing number of teetotalers and future prohibitionists off the trail), began serving a beverage of cognac, Antoine Peychaud’s bitters (produced literally down the street at the apothecary’s shop) and absinthe.

The drink proved so popular that The Merchants Coffee Exchange was re-named The Sazerac House and served the Sazerac Cocktail as its most popular drink. Plague and political intrigue played a role in the evolution of the Sazerac over the next several years. In the late 19th century, the grape phylloxera, a yellow, nearly microscopic sap-sucking louse that feeds on the roots and leaves of grapevines, nearly wiped out the vineyards in France that produce, among other things, the grapes used to produce cognac. Perhaps a form of karma coming around to Europe for spreading smallpox and syphilis to the New World, phylloxera was transported from the New World to Europe on North American grapevines that had a natural immunity to the louse. Unfortunately, the French grapevines had no such immunity and were almost wiped out by this tiny varmint. With Cognac now essentially unavailable, the Americans turned to rye whisky as a substitute. Rye was readily available and produced an inexpensive source to produce a whiskey that was not susceptible to the vagaries of microscopic lice.

The other major ingredient change occurred not as a result of natural disaster but rather a nasty smear campaign by the growing numbers of prohibitionists in the United States. Absinthe, originating from Switzerland, is an anise flavored spirit derived from botanicals, sweet fennel and the leaves of Artemisia absinthium (a.k.a. Grand Wormwood). Absinthe was wildly popular with artists, free-thinkers and other bohemian-type folks in Europe, and this drew the ire of conservatives and prohibitionists there and in America. To stop the consumption of Absinthe, these concocted a baseless story that Absinthe contained very harmful substances derived from the wormwood that basically turned you irreversibly into a lunatic. These allegations caused Absinthe to be outlawed in the U.S. in 1915. The smear campaign was so effective that to this day, many people still believe Absinthe to be dangerous even though studies have never show Absinthe to be any more harmful than any other spirit. Not to be denied by the prohibitionists, J.

Marion Legendre and Reginald Parker of New Orleans createdHerbsaint (nearly an anagram of Absinthe), with essentially the same ingredients of Absinthe sans the wormwood leaves. Other anise-flavored spirits are sometimes used, and since the 1990s, bona fide Absinthe has been produced again, although Herbsaint is still the spirit of preference due to the many years it has been used in the recipe. The Recipe The modern Sazerac is a very simple cocktail, served neat, combining 2 ounces of rye whiskey, 1 sugar cube, 3-5 dashes of Peychaud’s Bitters, a splash of Herbsaint, an anise-flavored liqueur, and lemon peel as a garnish, put together thus, according to my trusty bar book: One old fashioned or rocks glass is packed with ice and water to chill the glass. In a second old fashioned glass, muddle the sugar cube or simple syrup with the bitters. Add the rye to this mixture. Stir to combine. Empty the ice from the first glass. Pour the absinthe or Herbsaint into the glass and swirl to coat the sides of the glass.

Any excess absinthe or Herbsaint is discarded. Pour the rye/sugar/bitters mixture into the coated glass. Twist a lemon peel over the glass and rub the rim of the glass with the peel. The peel can be discarded or placed into the cocktail. To accompany a Sazerac, I recommend a medium-full to full bodied cigar. The Sazerac is essentially cold, straight whiskey with a little flavor enhancement, so you need a cigar that can stand up to the strength of the drink. I typically turned to Nicaraguan cigars such as Tatuaje Black, El Triunfador, or the Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label. Also, I wouldn’t recommend more than a couple Sazeracs at one sitting. Too much “medicine” can cause embarrassing side effects. So take your Sazeracs as directed – in moderation. Peace Love and Smokes…The Rev Bob Meyn Best Sazerac Recipe – How to Make a Sazerac Drink old-fashioned glass Directions In an Old-Fashioned glass (not a mixing glass; it's part of the ritual), muddle a sugar cube with a few drops of water.

Add several small ice cubes and the rye whiskey,* the Peychaud's bitters, and the Angostura bitters.** Stir well and strain into a second, chilled, Old-Fashioned glass in which you have rolled around a few drops of absinthe (no substitute really works, but you can try either a mix of Pernod and green Chartreuse, or Absente) until its inside is thoroughly coated, pouring off the excess. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel (some insist that this be squeezed over the drink and discarded; Handy wasn't so picky). * Use the good stuff, if you can find it: Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye (13 years old), or Sazerac Rye (18 years old). ** Optional. It's not in the original recipe, but it's traditional nonetheless, and it's not bad. The Wondrich Take: Every field has its Connoisseur's Choice. For British Invasion bands, it's the Kinks. For sunglasses, it's Ray-Ban Wayfarers. For Renaissance epic poetry, it's Ludovico Ariosto's Orlando Furioso. And so on. Supply your own.

Considered objectively, the Connoisseur's Choice might not be the obvious or even necessarily the best example of what the field has to offer. But that's part of its appeal—it's like a secret handshake, a decoder ring by which you can identify your fellow-obsessives. In the world of mixed drinks, this role is performed by the Sazerac, a venerable New Orleans specialty that possesses three things near and dear to the cocktail geek's heart: It uses rare, strongly flavored ingredients (including an obscure brand of bitters and absinthe); there's a special, unique procedure involved in making it (see recipe); and it's got a cool history. Although the Sazerac's formula didn't see print until the early twentieth century, the drink is a lot older than that. Like the Brandy Crusta, it's a New Orleans riff on the original American "Cock-Tail," which consisted of nothing more than liquor—any liquor—stepped on with a bit of sugar, a dash or two of bitters, and some water, with maybe a little lemon peel thrown in at the end. Some time around 1850, one Sewell T.

Taylor gave up his Merchants Exchange Coffee House (that "Exchange" meant it was in fact a bar) and went into the imported liquor business. Among his wares: a brand of cognac named Sazerac-de-Forge et Fils. At the same time, Aaron Bird, a clerk, took over the Merchants Exchange and changed its name to the Sazerac House. Its main specialty was the "Sazerac Cocktail," a cocktail, as above, made with Taylor's Sazerac cognac and -- it is claimed -- the bitters that were being made down the street by a prominent local druggist, Antoine Amedie Peychaud. The Sazerac House changed hands a bunch of times after that, spending a good twenty years under the control of Thomas Handy, a Maryland man. At some point before his death in 1889, Handy wrote down or otherwise divulged the recipe for the house cocktail. However he got it, William T. "Cocktail Bill" Boothby published it in the 1908 edition of his The World's Drinks and How to Mix Them.

Only one little problem: Boothby's recipe—which he claims came straight from Handy—calls for not Sazerac cognac, but "good whiskey." Huh. There's a logical explanation for that, thank God, and it has to do with a bug. Back in the 1870s and 1880s, y'see, a little American aphid called Phylloxera vastatrix was chewing up the roots of vineyards all over Europe, not omitting those in the part of France where cognac was made. Between 1875 and 1879, total French wine production fell by two-thirds. All across the Anglo-Saxon world, folks who had sworn by French brandy were switching to whiskey. In New Orleans, the whiskey at hand would've been straight rye, traditional there ever since, back in riverboat days, the distillers of Western Pennsylvania used to float it down the Ohio to the Mississippi with the spring floods. Whatever the reason, it's a brilliant substitution. While we like our Sazeracs just fine with the original cognac, we positively slaver over them with rye.

Handy's recipe also calls for a glass rinsed with absinthe, but that's just New Orleans being New Orleans. All that history and mixology aside, the Sazerac is a wonderfully butch sort of tipple. It's the kind of thing you'd put away a three-bagger of while sitting in some palooka dive two blocks down Eighth Avenue from Stillman's gym with your pal who works for The Sporting News, cracking peanuts and dissecting Sonny Liston's chances against Cassius Clay. A man's drink (although we've known plenty of dames who'd take one of these every time over some of the bellywash we see men drinking these days). Thanks to Ted "Dr. Cocktail" Haigh for help with the history. More recipes like this 10 Essential Classic Cocktails You Need to Know You will notice that this list is not filled with mixed drinks . No, these are 'cocktails' in the strictest and most traditional definition . They are simple; requiring just a few ingredients. They are easy; utilizing the most basic of bartending skills . A Foundation for Great Cocktails While I have chosen 10 of the best, this is only a beginning.

There are many more classic recipes that deserve to be on this list , we just have to start somewhere. If by chance, you have yet to dive into the classic cocktail scene, these will give you a taste of what to expect. Follow the recipes in their traditional form, then experiment and tweak them to your own liking. Drinks are not a one-size-fits-all experience and these are simply a foundation that you can use to build a true appreciation for everything the cocktail scene has to offer. Few cocktails will beat the classic Gin Martini. Cappi Thompson/Moment/Getty Images 1. Dry Martini The Martini is often the first cocktail many people think of when it comes to "fancy" drinks. While many 'up' drinks are typically referred to as 'martinis' and come in every color and flavor imaginable, there is only one original. The true Dry Martini is simply comprised of gin and dry vermouth . It often comes with a dash of bitters and either an olive or lemon twist garnish. It is that simple! There are many variations on this simple drink, including a Dirty Martini and Vodka Martini .

Of course, there is also that matter of how 'dry' you want your Martini, which is up to your personal preference. Similar cocktails to try: continue reading below our video How to Juice Citrus Pick up your favorite whiskey (rye, bourbon, Canadian, whatever) and mix up a Manhattan tonight. Photo Courtesy: © Shannon Graham 2. Manhattan What the Martini is to gin, the Manhattan is to whiskey . It is that simple, but is it really? Whiskey is complicated and you can only imagine how many different whiskeys have been poured into a Manhattan over the years. Traditionally, it would have been rye whiskey . That fell out of favor (and production) for a large part of the 20th Century, so Canadian whiskey found its way into many Manhattans. When bourbon got a boost in the last half of the century, it became the go-to whiskey. Now that rye's back, many fans are rediscovering the original Manhattan. (Like I said, it's complicated!) Beyond the base spirit, the Martini's dry vermouth is swapped out for sweet vermouth and a cherry is a customary garnish for a Manhattan.

When you can make one of these first two drinks well you should have no problem making the other. Again, the Manhattan can be made to order depending on your preference and it is a staple cocktail for tasting new whiskeys . Similar cocktails to try: The Old-fashioned is another cocktail that is very simple and a great way to experience different whiskeys . Consider this an essential to completing a well-rounded cocktail repertoire . This cocktail will also introduce you to the bartending technique of muddling because this cocktail is more about the process than the ingredients. You begin by muddling sugar, bitters and a slice of orange, then add ice and bourbon and stir the mix. While some people prefer finishing the Old-fashioned with club soda, traditionalists skip that touch. Think of this more as a way to dress up whiskey rather than building a mixed drink . One of the great things about the Old-fashioned is that the fruits and spirit are open to adaptation. Just follow the basic formula and have fun with it! Here are a few examples: 4. Brandy Cocktail The Brandy Cocktail in this list because it is a good example of the "original" cocktails.

The Balance and Columbian Repository of 1806 defined a cocktail as "...a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters ." Back in the early days of the bar, you would order a "cocktail" by spirits such as a Brandy Cocktail , Whiskey Cocktail or Gin Cocktail . The basic formula for these was: spirit, orange liqueur , bitters. The orange liqueur would be the 'sugar' element and shake or stir with ice would add the 'water'. It is a nice introduction to the most classic of all cocktails and a fine way to enjoy any high-end liquor. Similar cocktails to try: Everyone has heard of the Margarita and, like the Martini, it now comes in every color and flavor imaginable . The classic recipe is far simpler than many of its modern counterparts and there is no blender needed. Some drinkers (myself included) would even say that it is the best 'margarita' you will ever have! The traditional Margarita is served up and made simply of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. That's it! Why do I include it here when you've likely already had a Margarita?

To encourage everyone to make one from scratch! This cocktail is one of the most abused drinks out there and I cringe every time I see one of those bottles of " margarita mix " walking out the liquor store. If you really want to appreciate tequila in a really great drink, then take a moment to enjoy the ultimate Margarita experience! You will also find that the original Daiquiri has been dealt a similar fate and I encourage you to revisit this classic as well. More simple tequila cocktails to try: 6. Sazerac The Sazerac may not be for everyone for the simple fact that it includes absinthe that adds an underlying anise flavor (though it is minimal). Despite this fact, I encourage everyone to try a Sazerac at least once in their drinking life. The best Sazerac experiences happen when the drink finds that perfect balance between a great rye whiskey and absinthe. The absinthe is only used to rinse the glass , so it is not overwhelming. Beyond that aspect, the Sazerac is made in a very similar manner to the Old-fashioned .

A sugar cube is saturated with bitters, smashed, then the whiskey is stirred in and the drink is strained into the rinsed glass. It is a very simple drink and has the potential to be the best cocktail you have ever had. The Sazerac is also one of the famous cocktails of New Orleans and in 2008 the Sazerac became the official cocktail of the city. Similar cocktails to try: 7. New Orleans Fizz The fizz is a popular style of drink that began back in the "Golden Age" of cocktails and the New Orleans Fizz (aka Ramos Gin Fizz) is one of the most popular. A favorite of the "Big Easy," this drink was once so popular that during the 1915 Mardi Gras celebration, 35 shaker boys worked at one time to fill orders at the creator's bar. The New Orleans Fizz is a great introduction to the qualities that shaking eggs bring to cocktails . It creates a rich, creamy, frothy drink that is simply delicious. The key to a great fizz cocktail is to shake until it hurts ! Similar cocktails to try: 8. Mint Julep Ahh, the Mint Julep.

It is the drink of the Kentucky Derby and one of the best-known bourbon cocktails made ever created. Like the Old-fashioned, this drink requires muddling and in this case, you will muddle mint and simple syrup. Once the essence of the mint has been release, fill the glass with crushed ice and add your favorite bourbon . It is simple, delightful and refreshing. Once you get the hang of working the muddler and lightly bruising the mint , you will find the Mint Julep to be one of the easiest drinks to make. It's no wonder it has remained a favorite for years! How long has the Mint Julep been around? A recent finding by cocktail historian, David Wondrich, points to the American Revolution. All of the details are in the second edition of his book, Imbibe! and this revelation may just make the Julep the oldest cocktail! Similar cocktails to try: The early bar had a series of cocktails that came to be known as 'corpse revivers.' These were designed by crafty barmen to help their ailing patrons come back to life after a night of too much revelry .

A number of those original recipes are long gone and forgotten, but a few have held out through the years. The Corpse Reviver No. 2 is now the most popular of this classic lot of drinks. If you are looking for a complex, truly elegant gin cocktail, then this is it! The mix includes an aromatized wine (Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano) with lime juice and orange liqueur. Even absinthe makes a brief appearance here. When the Corpse Reviver No. 2 is carefully crafted, it is a thing of beauty and a drink that you will not forget anytime soon! Similar cocktails to try: 10. Between the Sheets If you browse any number of classic bartending guides, you will notice that sour drinks were very popular back in the day. These were simple mixes that found that perfect balance of sweet and sour . The list of tours is endless and includes favorites like the Sidecar and Whiskey Sour along with those Margaritas and Daiquiris discussed above. One of the best sours that are often overlooked takes on the suggestive name of Between the Sheets (or Maiden's Prayer). She certainly is a sexy little drink!

The recipe is extremely easy and showcases the close relationship that brandy and rum had in many classic drinks . Quite simply, you will pour equal amounts of brandy, rum, and triple sec, add a little lemon juice, shake it up and you're done! Similar cocktails to try: Sazerac – The World’s Oldest Cocktail – Five Men Making Sh!t 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 2 oz rye whiskey ¼ oz absinthe (or Herbsaint) Lemon twist Fill a short glass with ice and set it aside. In a second glass, add the sugar cube and the bitters, making sure to soak the cube well. Muddle the sugar and bitters together until the sugar is dissolved, then add rye and stir. Discard the ice from the first glass, then add the absinthe to it and swirl it around (coating the inside of the glass). Pour out the excess absinthe (or just leave it in, if you like it!). Pour the mix from the second glass into the chilled glass. Twist the lemon peel over the glass, but don’t add it to the drink.

I know that seems like a bunch of steps, but when you make it for the first time, you’ll find it’s pretty simple. If you’re planning to make more than one, just re-use the second mixing glass each time.Also, while the drink is meant to be enjoyed at around room temperature, if you must have some ice, go for a single large cube or sphere to minimize water dilution. Variations Original Sazerac As I mentioned above, the original recipe actually used Cognac, so if you want to make an Original Sazerac, just use Cognac instead of rye in the recipe above. But remember, if you plan to order this at a bar, you’ll need to specify that you want Cognac and you’ll also want to be prepared to pay more for the privilege! Bourbon Sazerac As the name implies, swap the rye for your favourite bourbon for a warmer, slightly sweeter-tasting cocktail. With real rye (eg. a whiskey made with at least 51% rye mash) being somewhat less commonly available these days, and bourbon surging in popularity, you may find it easier to get one of these.

Though if you’re at an establishment that doesn’t have a real rye available, I would also strongly doubt that they’re going to have the Peychaud’s, so you’re probably out of luck anyways. That being said, I’ve lately found myself preferring to use bourbon in my Sazerac’s, even when I’ve got rye available. A Note on Bitters and Absinthe Peychaud’s and absinthe are not two of the most commonly available ingredients, as you may have guessed, so if you’re willing to be flexible, you do have some options. I’ll start with the least palatable of them: using Angostura instead of Peychaud’s. These bitters are the most common in the world and I’ve never been to a bar or grocery store that didn’t have a bottle somewhere. While there’s nothing inherently bad about them, the Sazerac is really not a Sazerac without the very distinct Peychaud’s flavour, colour, and aroma, so tread carefully (or better yet, just order something else). Rinse of Absinthe Secondly, if you don’t have absinthe handy, Herbsaint is the best alternative.

Further down the list would be any other anise-based liquor, such as Pernod, Ouzo, or Sambuca, though these will both make the already sweet cocktail slightly more so. Enjoy In 2008, the Louisiana House of Representatives voted to declare the Sazerac the official cocktail of New Orleans, so if you’re in the area, you should definitely try it, but you won’t need to travel far to enjoy one. It’s popular enough that most reputable cocktail bars won’t have a problem making it and now that you’ve read this article, neither will you. Take your time to enjoy the colours, the aromas, and the warm flavours. Cheers to the original cocktail! Sources Why is there cognac in my Sazerac? – Cold Glass Why is there cognac in my Sazerac? The Sazerac has been one of my favorite cocktails for years, and its status as a “go-to” drink has become more entrenched as a wider selection of rye whiskies has come into my market, and especially as proper absinthe became available again. But there is much more to the Sazerac than good whiskey and an absinthe wash. For starters, there’s cognac.

And who knew that genever makes a great Sazerac? Sazerac History The cognac version evolved as a New Orleans variant of the “old-fashioned” Brandy Cocktail. There are conflicting stories woven into the Sazerac history, but on some points there is agreement. In 1850, a bartender named Sewell Taylor became the sole importer of a Cognac brandy made by Sazerac de Forge. Taylor sold his bar, the euphemistically named “Merchants Exchange Coffee House,” to Aaron Bird, who changed the name to “Sazerac Coffee House,” and promoted Taylor’s cognac with a house cocktail called the Sazerac Cocktail. The “Original” Sazerac Cognac Cocktail The record suggests that Bird’s Sazerac Cocktail wasn’t yet the Sazerac as we understand it today. It was a Cognac Old-Fashioned containing the local Peychaud’s bitters, manufactured only a couple blocks up the street from the Sazerac Coffee House. Absinthe, the hallmark of the modern Sazerac, was still missing from the written accounts of the properly made Sazerac.

But we do know that absinthe was gaining popularity as a cocktail additive during the 1860s. There is no record of absinthe being added specifically to the cognac-based Sazerac, but it isn’t much of a stretch to believe that the Sazerac Coffee House’s more fashionable clientele were experimenting with an absinthe rinse to modernize their cocktails. The Sazerac itself would not have been immune to updating; given its later history, it’s easy to believe that the Sazerac Cocktail could have picked up an absinthe wash, and evolved to fit the pattern of what Jerry Thomas recorded as “ improved ” cocktails. But the end was near for the original Sazerac, with or without an absinthe rinse. When Thomas Handy took over the Sazerac Coffee House in 1869, brandy was disappearing from the American cocktail scene, increasingly hard to import due to the phylloxera epidemic that destroyed European grapevines. In 1873, Handy and the Sazarac abandoned cognac altogether. Rye whiskey, always popular and in plentiful supply in New Orleans, was the natural replacement.

And absinthe, no longer an experimental ingredient, became a standard part of the formula. The cognac original disappeared from cocktail society, and the Sazerac became the drink we know today. The Sazerac recipe The original cognac version has had nearly 140 years to stage a comeback, but its only success so far seems to be in my kitchen. This is sad, because the cognac Sazerac is too good to forget. If you think you like the rye version, I recommend that you try the cognac version at least once. After all, we have plenty of cognac again. The Improved Cognac Sazerac 2 oz Cognac (Remy-Martin VSOP, Landry VSOP) ¼–⅓ oz simple syrup (Demerara simple syrup) 4 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 1 dash Angostura bitters splash absinthe or Herbsaint (Kubler) lemon garnish Chill a rocks glass with crushed ice or ice water. In a second glass or mixing glass, combine sugar, bitters, and cognac; stir until chilled. Empty the first glass and rinse with absinthe; pour off excess.

Add ice if desired (ice is not traditional.) Strain the chilled cognac mix into the first glass. Express with lemon, and optionally add the lemon to the drink. I’ve never used an expensive cognac for the Sazerac. While I don’t doubt that it would be a charming experience, I think a decent midrange VSOP is probably all you need to make a first-rate cocktail. The simple syrup is a 1:1 simple. The cognac’s fruitiness compared to rye whiskey lets you cut back on the amount of sugar in the drink. For me, the quarter-ounce is ample. You can substitute Bitter Truth’s Aromatic and Creole bitters in this version. They have a softness that blends well with the lighter, fruitier nature of the brandy. There is a sweetness there, too, so there’s a delicate balance that you’ll have to find for whatever cognac you select. As I’ve said before, absinthe is far and away superior to the usual substitutes like Herbsaint or Pernod. As we used to say in college, “if you got it, flaunt it.” If not, Herbsaint makes a very respectable Sazerac.

So here’s the bottom line: at least half the time, I’m preferring the “old” cognac version, or even an aged genever version, to the “modern” rye-based Sazerac. And I’m interested to know this: do you prefer the rye version? The cognac version? Some other version? And why? “Why is there cognac in my Sazerac?” at cold-glass.com : All text and photos Copyright © 2012 Douglas M. Ford. All rights reserved. Share Cold Glass Sazerac Cocktail - Small Screen Network The Cocktail Spirit with Robert Hess Sazerac Cocktail Originally made with Cognac, before Phylloxera vastatrix destroyed grape vines across France, now widely made with rye whiskey, the Sazerac is the quintessential New Orleans cocktail. since in preparation and complex in flavor profile, it is not to be missed. Ingredients two dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 2 oz rye whiskey Chill small old fashioned glass by filling with ice. To another glass add first three ingredients. Stir with ice. Discard ice from chilled old fashioned glass. Rinse or spray with Absinthe or Herbsaint. Strain other ingredients into prepared glass.

Garnish with a lemon peel. Kimberly Patton-Bragg 2 Jun 2008 9:50 am Kudos on this last episode on the Sazerac! The Sazerac is my favorite cocktail and I’ve been evangelizing my guests to this classic for years. At Blue Smoke in NYC we use Old Overholt and Pernod, which is perfectly acceptable, but at home I use Sazerac Rye and Herbsainte which I brought back from New Orleans (it’s not distributed here). I’ve never seen the technique of the atomizer for this drink and I must say, it’s pretty brilliant. I hate seeing good liquor get tossed out ( not to mention what it does to the bar cost ). By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask, WHERE did you get that gorgeous jigger. Please don’t tell me it’s an unavailable antique. Robert Hess 2 Jun 2008 10:18 am I would LOVE to see the Sazerac get more exposure, but only of course if it is properly made. There are a wide variety of different ways I’ve seen folks attempt to make this drink, some of them pretty far off base.

The jigger I use to “make” the drink is the OXO acrylic “mini-angled measure”, which is my absolute favorite jigger… or perhaps you mean that white ceramic thing you see in the background of the opening/closing shot. That’s just a ceramic “egg cup” that I picked up at a kitchen shop. If you use an atomizer for the absinthe as you see me do here, it works best if it is true absinthe and not a pastis (Pastis being the term that “Ricard” promoted as refering to the various absinthe substitutes that came out post-pan), since most (all?) pastis are sweetened, and this has a tendency to clog up the atomizer if you don’t use it regularly. -Robert Nice! (Any significance to the NASA glass?) Robert Hess 2 Jun 2008 11:19 am Noticed the NASA glass eh? :-> No significance other than the fact that they are the perfect size/shape/type for the glass I like to serve Sazeracs in. Just something I picked up on eBay a few months back.

Drinking a Sazerac in a stemmed cocktail glass just seems wrong to me, even though I regularly find folks making them like that. And while we are on the topic of a “proper Sazerac”, I’d like to comment on the practice I often see listed for either using a combination of Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters, or using Angostura bitters instead of Peychaud’s in a Sazerac. For me, this is just wrong (but as Gary always says, “nothing is written in stone”). For me, a Sazerac uses only Peychaud’s bitters. I suspect the other versions are simply trying to deal with how difficult it can be sometimes to find a bitter other than Angostura. If you’ve got Peychaud’s, use Peychaud’s and nothing else. If you don’t have Peychaud’s, then you aren’t making a Sazerac :-> -Robert Jonathan Burbank 2 Jun 2008 12:08 pm Great episode!! I can’t wait to atomize with absinthe.

I propose a drinking game: with each episode, one first makes the cocktail, then reviews the episode again and downs the drink each time Robert says “take and…” Nicolas 3 Jun 2008 8:20 am How always a great episode. But there’s one question I’m still chewing on: Are you using Simple Syrup ( 1:1) or Rich Syrup. And why haben’t you chosen the homemade Demerara Syrup? Greetings from Germany Robert Hess 3 Jun 2008 9:00 am Nicolas, as you can see via the label on the squeeze bottle in the background, I was using the “rich” simple syrup here. For the most part, I (almost) never make 1:1 syrup, so any time you see me using a syrup it is going to be 2:1… but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the same drink with the same recipe, but using a 1:1 syrup instead. I think it is important for all of us to adjust drinks to suit our own tastes, and come to a personal understanding of what that means.

So make the drink as close as you can to how you see me do it first, and then form your own opinion about the “balance” of the drink. If you think it is too sweet, then cut back a bit on the syrup, not sweet enough, add a little mroe. And I didn’t use the Demerara syrup because I didn’t have any with me for this shoot :-> -Robert 4:42 pm Robert, great episode! Good to see the mix for the proper Sazerac getting so much coverage. I recently had an unfortunate Sazerac at a New Orleans cornerstone restaurant that rhymes with rennans. However by the end of the night they were making them right. Also, for those of you who love the Sazerac our friend Ann, founder of Tales of the Cocktail, is on a mission to make the Sazerac the Official cocktail on Louisiana. If anyone wants to help out this cause email me at bar.mix.master[at]gmail.com for info.

Thanks Mark 3 Jun 2008 10:10 pm I hate to ask about a substitution following a series specifically designed to rekindle interests in proper Sazeracs, but I find myself with neither Absinthe or Herbsaint. I do have a quite old (20+ years) bottle of De Napoleon Anisette. Firstly, is Anisette even a proper substitution? And secondly, what are the effects on the (probably accidently) bottle-aged Anisette? If it matters, I am fairly certain that the bottle was unopened until a few weeks ago. -Mark Robert Hess 4 Jun 2008 5:15 am Mark, since the amount of absinthe being used in the Sazerac is so slight, your anisette will be a “decent” substitution. It will lend a slightly different flavor profile to the drink, but at least it is in the right direction. As for being 20 years old, that won’t be a problem.

Absinthe never really caught on here in America back in the 1800’s, it was mostly used similarly to how you see it being used here in the Sazerac, just as an “accent” to the drink, as opposed to being drunk by itself. Many bartenders whould have had a “bitters bottle” on the counter filled with absinthe, and add a dash or two to a drink much the same way they might use Angostura bitters. -Robert Alan E. 6 Jun 2008 9:58 pm Sigh, I didn’t get enough of a heads up to head out to this altogether too interesting cocktail revival! I live in “The City” as San Francisco is known by it’s locals, and I didn’t even know this event was even in the works! I wish I was able to make it to Elixir (I’m about 10 min away). Maybe I’ll order the Sazerac when I check out 16th and Mission. H.

Joseph Ehrmann 8 Jun 2008 8:48 am Robert, I too love the atomizer, especially for pour costs as well as dramatic effect (I love when customers look at me wierd and ask questions for doing fun stuff like that). I usually serve Sazeracs in a glass like you used, but I found these cool old glasses at a local thrift shop and thought the drink fit nicely in it. That’s what I’m using in the Shirazerac video. Unfortunately they’re fragile and will be gone when customers or bartenders break the last ones and I’ll be back to the thrift shops. Alan, I just hand selected and bought an entire barrel of Sazerc Rye, so we’ll be making sazeracs for a long time. AND, I’m donating the profits for that and the t-shirts I made for the event to Tales of the Cocktail until July 16th, the first day of the event. So come down and have one with me! (feel free to contact me at [email protected] ) Cheers!

Robert Hess 26 Jun 2008 4:26 pm Driving home this evening I was pleasently surprised to hear my good friend Lu Brow discuss the “Sazerac” cocktail in light of it recently being declared the official cocktail of New Orleans! You can check it out over on NPR’s website here: Although I might personally disagree with Lu’s addition of Angostura bitters to the drink. It’s my feeling that this was an evolution of the recipe that occured for places where Peychaud was difficult, if not impossible to find. oliver 15 Jul 2008 4:46 am As far as i know the sazerac company first produced a cognac. So the original recipe has to be with cognac. rye came later. and with cognac the use of peychaud`s AND angostura makes sense. oliver 15 Jul 2008 4:55 am by the way, were was the first sazerac recipe published? and is it with or without ice in the glass? than you robert for all.

Robert Hess 25 Jul 2008 7:11 am Oliver, We are working on tracking down the often confusing history of the Sazerac cocktail, it is confusing because the proper name “Sazerac Cocktail” and a firm recipe, don’t always come together throughout history, instead there are recipes, and indications that these recipes were served at the Sazerac Coffee House, and other listings of recipes and indications that these were Antoine Peychaud’s drink, which was then eventually served in one form or another at the Sazerac Coffee house… it makes for such confusing research that it drives you to drink :-> David Wondrich is diving into some of these details, and the results should be facinating when he is finished. Robert Hess 25 Jul 2008 7:21 am Oliver, The “Sazerac Company” is different from the brandy which was originally used in the cocktail served at the Sazerac Coffee House. The brandy was “Sazerac-du-Forge et fils”, and is no longer manufactured. The Sazerac Company came much later.

As for the Peychaud/Angostura debate, it is my feeling that a “true” Sazerac cocktail should just contain Peychaud’s, since the drink was originally formulated by Anotine Peychaud, and he most certainly would not have included Angostura. Ok, so I’m a stickler for Peychaud, but not for brandy? Reason being that I’ll recongize the evolution (which includes the addition of Absinthe), but also want to recognize the origins of the drink, and pay homeage to Antoine Peychaud. I personally feel that the addition of Angostura evolved due to the often inability for bartenders to get Peychaud bitters outside of New Orleans, so they started substituting Angostura. I think it makes a decidely different drink.

But if you are going to be doing a cognac based Sazerac, then I don’t think there is any argument but that you have to also only use Peychaud’s, because I think it would have been far less likely for anybody to have been using Angostura in that version of the drink since it was still mostly being served just in New Orleans, where Peychauds (or one of the competing variations, none of which are available anymore) would have been readily available. -Robert Nate 6 Jan 2009 5:32 am Hey Robert, nice video. I’m a bit confused though. On your drinkboy website in your recipe for the Sazerac you say that shaking and straining it “looses some of the interesting flavors and qualities of the drink”, but in this video you do strain it. So in that recipe did you mean just the shaking part ruins it, because the way it’s worded I took it as you don’t recommend doing either. Or have you changed your mind on that over time? I see that you prefer to use Demerara sugar for your simple syrup, and at a 2:1 ratio. Is all Demerara created equal?

Would the Domino brand I can buy at my local grocery store be sufficient? Last but not least, what absinthe do you prefer to use? I’ve gathered that Jade Nouvelle-Orleans and Marteau are ideal. Thanks in advance for your response. Robert Hess 6 Jan 2009 7:36 am Nate, Well, when I make a Sazerac at home, I just build it in the glass, and only use the ice to pre-chill the class and leave just a little water. But I’ve come to feel that this is perhaps just a little bit extreme, and so in this video I am showing what I would consider the “proper” way to make it, just not the “only” :-> No idea if all Demerara is created equal, I haven’t really done an exaustive study of it, but I think any differences you might find would simply add a little extra character. As for Absinthe, in a Sazerac it is such a small bit, that I don’t think there is really enough to allow the “slight” differences between the various “good” brands out there to show through.

In fact just even using a pastis would probably be hard to detect much of a difference with. But you can’t go wrong with any of the Jade products, or Marteau. Alan S. 5 Feb 2009 10:01 am I’m kind of surprised that Absinthe is part of a New Orleans favorite. I was under the impression that Absinthe is more of a modern European thing. I also wasn’t aware that Absinthe could or should be used in spray form. I suppose I have a lot to learn about Absinthe. My only experience with it is in an Absinthe bar in Spain, and needless to say it was not sprayed, but poured generously. —- Kimberly Patton-Bragg 5 Feb 2009 10:55 am Actually Absinthe reached the shores of New Orleans before it even got to New York, from what I’m told - probably due to the French influence here. I think maybe even to this day Absinthe and Chartreuse might even outsell New York in volume. Thank god absinthe is legal again! ptbar 20 Apr 2009 Hello Robert !!

I work as a Bartender in a Hotel in Europe, Portugal In many Bar in Europe Sazerac is Made very similar to your video but they add Cognac, and Bourbon (if they not have rye). is that correct ? or is that not a true sazerac?.... just a variation see this example from one of the best bar in london: Robert Hess 21 Apr 2009 4:28 am Originally, the Sazerac was made with cognac, in fact they were using “Sazerac” brand cognac, which is how the drink got it’s name. But it was sometime around 1860 or so that they switched to using rye whiskey instead, as well as adding the absinthe. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody mix cognac and bourbon together in a Sazerac. You could argue for either cognac or whiskey being the right spirit to use in a Sazerac, but it has become traditional for the last hundred years or more to use whiskey.

Gryffin 11 Jul 2009 6:35 am Robert, I’ve had a Sazerac done that way, with bourbon and cognac, at the bar of the Monaco Hotel in San Francisco. They are sublime! If you think about it, it makes sense: bourbon is sweeter, and IMHO generally less complex, than a good rye; adding cognac dries the drink out a bit, takes the edge off the bourbon’s sweetness, and adds a few more layers of flavor. I’m a big fan of the Sazerac. Had my first one on a lark (I’d never heard of it!) at a New Orleans themed restaurant, and it was love at first sip. In fact, the Sazerac, along with the show “Mad Men”, got me hooked on rye whiskey, and got me interested in mixology in general, and hence, this site! Trevor 1 Dec 2009 10:53 pm Why such a small glass? I prefer a larger rocks style or Old Fashioned type glass.

This way, the rye mixture fills up maybe a third of the glass and doesn’t rinse away the absinthe coating, allowing you to inhale that stuff with every sip. Try it! Robert Hess 1 Dec 2009 11:03 pm I’m using the smaller glass here for two reasons… 1. The Sazerac is often served in a “small” Old Fashioned glass similar to this. 2. I wanted to show off my cool NASA etched glasses I picked up on eBay. :-> Trevor 1 Dec 2009 11:11 pm Haha!! It is a cool glass! Seriously though, I think the absinthe aroma with each sip adds an extra dimension to this drink that makes it truly unique. Niko-San 24 Feb 2010 Hi ptbar, Gryffin, & Mr. Hess. Belive the 1/2 cognac & 1/2 bourbon sazerac recipe is from DeGroffs Craft of the cocktail. We have absinthe in Copenhagen but do you know how close the Herbsaint is to the Pernod 68?

Robert Hess 24 Feb 2010 5:25 am Niko-San, Pernod 68 is an absinthe (although not one I can personally recommend, it isn’t made in the traditional fashion, using extracts instead of proper maceration), while Herbsaint is an absinthe substitute. The Sazerac company “just” brought out a new version of Herbsaint which supposedly takes it back to it’s original formulation which is far better then what the product had evolved into over the years. Robert Hess 24 Feb 2010 5:30 am I should point out that today (Feb 24, 2010) would be the 207th birthday of Antoine Amedee Peychaud (born in 1803), inventor of Peychaud’s bitters, a key ingredient of the Sazerac cocktail, and so today is “International Sazerac Day”! Tonight would make a good time to either mix one up yourself, or to stop in at your favorite (quality) bar and try one of theirs. Steven D.

Lauria 31 Jan 2011 10:16 am Hi Robert, I can’t find a metal atomizer. Is it OK to use a plastic one? My worry is that the alcohol would bread down the chemicals even in the hard plastic. Do you know where I can buy a metal atomizer—- an atomizer like the one you use in the video? As, always, thank you! Classic Cocktails Bring elegance to any brunch. Mimosa Celebrate Cinco de Mayo year-round with the tasty tequila Paloma cocktail. Paloma The cognac-and-rye classic Vieux Carré cocktail was invented at New Orleans’ famed Carousel Bar. Vieux Carré Celebrate the Scottish folk hero with the classic whisky-based Rob Roy cocktail. Rob Roy The classic Scotch-based Blood and Sand cocktail tastes like neither. Blood and Sand Love the Tom Collins? Try its frothy, bubbly cousin, the Gin Fizz. Gin Fizz Like Mint Juleps? You’ll love the Whiskey Smash, a citrusy 19th-century cooler. Whiskey Smash This old-school classic gin Aviation cocktail is as blue as the sky.

Aviation The Manhattan cocktail—now this is what the Manhattan Project should’ve been about. Manhattan Mojito What’s the perfect way to capture summer all year long? A well-mixed Mojito, of course. Mojito It doesn’t get much simpler or more refreshing than the classic Gimlet. Gimlet Celebrate Derby Day year-round with the Mint Julep, a classic bourbon refresher. Mint Julep Forget the Hurricane. The Sazerac is what you should drink in New Orleans. Sazerac Negroni The Negroni Cocktail is a classic Italian drink. Order a Negroni and you’ll be sure to Impress your bartender. Negroni Drambuie Rusty Nail No need for a tetanus shot after a run-in with this classic Scotch cocktail, the Rusty Nail. Drambuie Rusty Nail The Old Fashioned cocktail is old-school but never out of fashion. Old Fashioned Find out why the dark rum-based Daiquiri is a classic. Daiquiri Even when this drink describes the weather, you’ll feel warm on the inside. Dark 'n Stormy Possibly named for a World War I field gun, this classic drink packs a wallop.

French 75 The Dry Martini is a classic cocktail that, like a tailored suit, is timeless. Dry Martini This whiskey drink was invented in Paris while the US suffered through Prohibition. Scofflaw This pre-Prohibition classic is one of Philadelphia’s contributions to mixological history. Clover Club Mix up this classic Martini variation. Gibson Boulevardier Swap out the gin in a Negroni for rye whiskey and you get the delicious Boulevardier. Boulevardier Pay tribute to 007 by mixing up his signature Vesper cocktail. Vesper The Moscow Mule is a strong, Russian workhorse of a drink. Moscow Mule Mudslide The Mudslide cocktail, a classic blend of vodka, coffee liqueur and Irish cream, is both drink and dessert.

Question: Which spirit is traditionally used to make a Sazarac cocktail?
Answer: Rye Whiskey